james noble



J .A NOBLE. LoGoMoTIVE 00W GATGHBR.

No. 78,988. Patented Apr. 21, 1888.

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IMPROVBD LOCOMOTIVE COW-GATGHER.

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To ALL WHoM- IT MA'Y eoNoE'RN:

Be it known that I, JAMES NOBLE, of the city -oiPittsbui-g, in the-county oflAllegheny, and 'State ofPennsylvanin, have invented 'a new and useful Improvement in Cow-Catchers; and I do hereby declare the following .to be a full, clear, and exact descriptioh thereof, reference bein-g had to the accompanying drawing,making a part of this specification', and to the letters of reference marked thereony Figure 1 Vbeing a front elevation of a railroad-locomotive'with my improved cow-'catcher' attached, and

Figure 2 being-a vertical section passing through thecow-catcher and theaxle of the forward pair of truck- My improved locomotiv'cow-catcher consists of a cylinder, 'ora'number of cylinders,connected by gearing i to the axle of the forward pair of truck-wheels in suchway that as the locomotive moves forward, suchcylinder or cylinders will revolve in a direction opposite to the direction of the rotary :motion of the caf-wheels, such cylinder or cylinders having'properly-shaped,projections on-their periphery for 'catching and raising clearzo'f the track any object with which they may comcin contact.` The com-catchers in ordinary use have been found insuiicient to remove from the track any animal of considerablcsize. Such animals get under the cow-catcher and force the locomotive ol the track, with consequent destruction of property, and iu many cases loss of life;

To enable others skilled in the art to make'and use I ny invention, I will proceed' to describe its construction and mode of operation. Y I V a a represent the rails of the railroad-track. b Imre the forward wheels of the forward truck, connected together hy the axle e. dis a partof thetruck-fram'e by'which suppe-rt is given to the boilerf, sniokesstacl: f, dec., as in the ordinarily constructed locomotive. The truck-frame 'd extends forward a suiicient distance to furnish bearings for a cylinder or series of cylinders, g, the axis of which is parallel 'with the axle e'. Such cylinders, y, are, by gear-wheels-m m', so connected to the aalee asto receive a rotary motion therefrom. l The peripheries of thecylindersg are serrated or have projecting pins or teeth,'z', 'ofsuch number, arrangement; size, and shape as to catchfany object which may come in their. way and raise'it clear ofthe track.

-An apron, n, extends from the ond of the boiler` f forward over the truck, and it' is slotted at suitable intervals, so that the projecting parts shall 'come *between the small cylinders y, or, if a single" cylinder bc used, they shall occupy n. portionor allgthe space between therews of teeth, z'. If desirable, grooves may be cut in the face of the single cylinder g, in which grooves'the-projecting parts n'of the'apron may`rest. The cylinder g may operatenear to thetrack, or considerablyl above it, as may bopreferred. r

The operation of the d evices thus described is las follows: The locomotive, in moving forward, causes thc front part of the cylinder or cylinders g to revolve upward. If the cow-catcher comes in contact with an object on the track, it catches it, raises it up, and prevents it from passing under and throwing the locomotive 'off the track. v If thc object is raised up tothe height of the top of'the'vcylinder, as will Afrequently be the cas'eksucli object is deposited on the apron n, und pre'vented't'rom otherwise interfering with the free and safe progress of the locomotive. f y A Instead of a single cylinder, or` a. number of cylinders, aseries of toothed wheels maybe used with like eliect and mode of operation,'or two cylinders .may be adjusted at an obtuse angle to cach other, the apex of the angle being forward, and connected by bevel-'gearing to the axle e. Their motions and :Inode of 'operation will he the same as is above described, except that theywill tend to throw any body, against whichthey may impinge, ofi', as well as raise it clear of the trircli.

l By the use ofthe devices above sot forth, it will be exceedinglydicult, not to say impossible, for any object to get under the cow-catcher or forward truckswhecls, of suilicient size to throw the locomotive from the track. i f

Hence, what I-'claim as my inventioneand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The construction of a locomotive cow-catcher, consisting of a revolving cylinder or cylinders with face or faces serlrted or toothed, and so connected with the forward locomotive-truck as to receive the motions described, und operate substantially as and for the purposes llereinbefore set forth.

2. An vapronnoz, extending rorn some fixed part of 'the locomotive foxwztrdy over a. revolving cylindrical cow-catcher, g, substantially as and'for the purposes herenbofore set forth.

In testimony whereof, I, the solid JAMES NOBLE, have hereunto set my hond.Y

JAMES NOBLE.

Witnesses:

ELL TORMNCE, G. H. CHRISTY. 

